Question for the Forum

[SaintPauly]

I was hanging out at Skeeter's in Gulfport the other night, and the bartender there, is also a HUGE Saints fan... We were discussing the defense, and which players we would love to see in black and gold this upcoming season, and someone posed the question: When was the last time the Saints paid out a large contract to a defensive free agent, and who was it? I honestly couldn't think of one.... NOT a lot of money anyway.... Please, someone enlighten us on this subject....

[FinSaint]

I guess it all depends on your definition of a "large contract," but I would personally say that Lewis this offseason with 5yr/$25.5M, and Lofton with 5yr/$27.5M and Bunkley with 5yr/$25M last offseason were large contracts given out to defensive free agents.

Naturally those deals are nowhere near what, for example, Mario Williams was given by the Bills last offseason - 6yr/$96M - but would you really want the Saints to commit that much to any other player than Brees?

[TheOak]

The best value FA signing on the defensive side was Sharper for 2009 1.8M

Ill dig up the largest this morning.

[Jamessr]

Good question however the defense just needs to hold people to 14-20 points and we still win easily.
Make me sick to think our offense is that good and we still came up 7-9

[SmashMouth]

Vilma when he first came to the Saints, although not technically a FA, the same diff nevertheless.

[TheOak]

Vilmas 2009 contract was 5 year/ 34M

[alleycat_126]

Originally Posted by TheOak

Vilmas 2009 contract was 5 year/ 34M

man was it worth it in the first few years of his contract!!!!

[SaintsBro]

It's not the size of the contract, I just want 1 or 2 players on the defense who other teams are AFRAID of, guys who make the other team pause and hesitate, make them reconsider what it is they're going to do on offense, or make them lose a little sleep at night during the week before the game. Sharper was like that. Vilma. Just a guy who causes problems.


They don't need to be eleven All Pro's out there, at every position, but there's absolutely nobody on this defense who is scary, or is a playmaker, the kind of intimidating guy who makes teams think twice, or adjust what they do, or get jittery on offense. Nobody on the Saints defense does that to other teams. Opponents right now just plow right over us, doing whatever they want to do. and that has to stop for this Saints team to go anywhere at all.

[FinSaint]

Originally Posted by SmashMouth

Vilma when he first came to the Saints, although not technically a FA, the same diff nevertheless.

Originally Posted by TheOak

Vilmas 2009 contract was 5 year/ 34M

Yeah, but he came in under the old contract for a 4th round in pick in 2008 and another one in 2009 - if I remember it correctly - so that contract was signed when he was already a member of the Saints and not a FA.

[saintsfan1976]

Skeeters.... lol I've shot a few games there.

I grew up in Long Beach, MS and haven't hung out on the coast in years.

Many a long night spent at Orangutangs!